OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT) Forum

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janereacher

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by janereacher » Mon Jan 16, 2017 8:12 pm

Hi all... I just found out this thread existed so I wanted to introduce myself. I am 41 and just finished up most of my applications for this fall. I've found the preceding discussion quite interesting. As a non-traditional student I've found my life skirting the line between the goals and interests of younger vs. older students. On the one hand, I am very concerned with not racking up debt so no matter how prestigious the school, it would be hard to justify having to paying off student loans when I am in my 50s and possibly 60s. On the other hand, I'm unmarried (ah the joys of spinster-dom!) without kids, a home, or anything tying me down to a specific place. That gives me some luxury in picking a school that is the best fit for my interest or even just exploring a new part of the country.

Nice to have found you guys - good luck to everyone!

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O.J.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by O.J. » Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:03 pm

Sweet! Didn't know there were other old timers around here. I'm 43, heading to LS in Fall 2018. I'm prepping for my first take in June. Crushing 7Sage for only a few weeks now and already scoring 160. Plan to hit 165+ in June, which will get me to my targets with $. I'm URM, 3.8GPA, 3.6LGPA really strong softs (12 years in a legal career, and 10 years in youth volunteering, family, own my home, UCLA grad, etc). I'm not mobile, have to stay in LA, planning to hang a shingle, so I definitely don't need T-14. I'm debt adverse of course, but hoping to get:

Pepperdine
Loyola
Irvine

or UCLA/USC, if the money is there.

Let me know your thoughts, and good luck to everyone!

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dannyswo

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by dannyswo » Tue Jan 31, 2017 7:13 am

O.J. wrote:Sweet! Didn't know there were other old timers around here. I'm 43, heading to LS in Fall 2018. I'm prepping for my first take in June. Crushing 7Sage for only a few weeks now and already scoring 160. Plan to hit 165+ in June, which will get me to my targets with $. I'm URM, 3.8GPA, 3.6LGPA really strong softs (12 years in a legal career, and 10 years in youth volunteering, family, own my home, UCLA grad, etc). I'm not mobile, have to stay in LA, planning to hang a shingle, so I definitely don't need T-14. I'm debt adverse of course, but hoping to get:

Pepperdine
Loyola
Irvine

or UCLA/USC, if the money is there.

Let me know your thoughts, and good luck to everyone!
I got into Pepperdine with $25K with my 162. Did not get into Irvine.

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O.J.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by O.J. » Tue Jan 31, 2017 12:10 pm

dannyswo wrote:
O.J. wrote:Sweet! Didn't know there were other old timers around here. I'm 43, heading to LS in Fall 2018. I'm prepping for my first take in June. Crushing 7Sage for only a few weeks now and already scoring 160. Plan to hit 165+ in June, which will get me to my targets with $. I'm URM, 3.8GPA, 3.6LGPA really strong softs (12 years in a legal career, and 10 years in youth volunteering, family, own my home, UCLA grad, etc). I'm not mobile, have to stay in LA, planning to hang a shingle, so I definitely don't need T-14. I'm debt adverse of course, but hoping to get:

Pepperdine
Loyola
Irvine

or UCLA/USC, if the money is there.

Let me know your thoughts, and good luck to everyone!
I got into Pepperdine with $25K with my 162. Did not get into Irvine.
Congrats, are you going to take it? Would be cool to have another nontrad 2L to chat with next fall. ;) What was your GPA? Where else did you apply? Good luck!

BTW, have you ever been to the campus? I drive by there every once and a while. My wife and I toured the campus recently. So beautiful! The view alone is worth every penny -- well, almost. ;)

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by dannyswo » Tue Jan 31, 2017 3:54 pm

O.J. wrote:
dannyswo wrote:
O.J. wrote:Sweet! Didn't know there were other old timers around here. I'm 43, heading to LS in Fall 2018. I'm prepping for my first take in June. Crushing 7Sage for only a few weeks now and already scoring 160. Plan to hit 165+ in June, which will get me to my targets with $. I'm URM, 3.8GPA, 3.6LGPA really strong softs (12 years in a legal career, and 10 years in youth volunteering, family, own my home, UCLA grad, etc). I'm not mobile, have to stay in LA, planning to hang a shingle, so I definitely don't need T-14. I'm debt adverse of course, but hoping to get:

Pepperdine
Loyola
Irvine

or UCLA/USC, if the money is there.

Let me know your thoughts, and good luck to everyone!
I got into Pepperdine with $25K with my 162. Did not get into Irvine.
Congrats, are you going to take it? Would be cool to have another nontrad 2L to chat with next fall. ;) What was your GPA? Where else did you apply? Good luck!

BTW, have you ever been to the campus? I drive by there every once and a while. My wife and I toured the campus recently. So beautiful! The view alone is worth every penny -- well, almost. ;)
I didn't. I'm going to take less money to go to San Diego. The view in Malibu is worth every penny, but it's a lot of pennies. I really liked the option, but since I lived in LA 2 million more people have moved there and they're all on the freeway right now. I hate traffic, and while I like LA west of the 405, I couldn't do it. It's either traffic or all my money for rent.
I think it's a great choice, especially as you're clearly committed to LA.
My GPA was something like 3.2 undergrad, 3.5 grad school.
I applied to USD, Pepperdine and Irvine. Had to have one reach in there.

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O.J.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by O.J. » Tue Jan 31, 2017 4:08 pm

dannyswo wrote: I didn't. I'm going to take less money to go to San Diego. The view in Malibu is worth every penny, but it's a lot of pennies. I really liked the option, but since I lived in LA 2 million more people have moved there and they're all on the freeway right now. I hate traffic, and while I like LA west of the 405, I couldn't do it. It's either traffic or all my money for rent.
I think it's a great choice, especially as you're clearly committed to LA.
My GPA was something like 3.2 undergrad, 3.5 grad school.
I applied to USD, Pepperdine and Irvine. Had to have one reach in there.
Totally get it, I live about ten miles from UCLA, where I have to commute every day on the 405. Such a pain. But my kids are in school here, my wife has a career here, and I own my home. So I'm stuck here for now. UCLA is my reach, Pepperdine is my target. We'll see. I have a couple good friends who went to USD and loved it, so you should be in good hands. I would add, I grew up in SD, spent 30 years there. Best city on Earth. Good luck!

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by dannyswo » Tue Jan 31, 2017 4:24 pm

O.J. wrote:
dannyswo wrote: I didn't. I'm going to take less money to go to San Diego. The view in Malibu is worth every penny, but it's a lot of pennies. I really liked the option, but since I lived in LA 2 million more people have moved there and they're all on the freeway right now. I hate traffic, and while I like LA west of the 405, I couldn't do it. It's either traffic or all my money for rent.
I think it's a great choice, especially as you're clearly committed to LA.
My GPA was something like 3.2 undergrad, 3.5 grad school.
I applied to USD, Pepperdine and Irvine. Had to have one reach in there.
Totally get it, I live about ten miles from UCLA, where I have to commute every day on the 405. Such a pain. But my kids are in school here, my wife has a career here, and I own my home. So I'm stuck here for now. UCLA is my reach, Pepperdine is my target. We'll see. I have a couple good friends who went to USD and loved it, so you should be in good hands. I would add, I grew up in SD, spent 30 years there. Best city on Earth. Good luck!
Right on. I grew up there as well, moved in and out of town a few times and did my Master's at USD.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by dannyswo » Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:15 am

dannyswo wrote:
O.J. wrote:Sweet! Didn't know there were other old timers around here. I'm 43, heading to LS in Fall 2018. I'm prepping for my first take in June. Crushing 7Sage for only a few weeks now and already scoring 160. Plan to hit 165+ in June, which will get me to my targets with $. I'm URM, 3.8GPA, 3.6LGPA really strong softs (12 years in a legal career, and 10 years in youth volunteering, family, own my home, UCLA grad, etc). I'm not mobile, have to stay in LA, planning to hang a shingle, so I definitely don't need T-14. I'm debt adverse of course, but hoping to get:

Pepperdine
Loyola
Irvine

or UCLA/USC, if the money is there.

Let me know your thoughts, and good luck to everyone!
I got into Pepperdine with $25K with my 162. Did not get into Irvine.
Edited: I actually got a 163, just double checked. Got waitlisted at Irvine via mail today.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by Experiment626 » Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:05 pm

haus wrote:
KPUSN07 wrote:How are folks able to maintain a family (wife and child), financially, and attend law school full time?
No idea. This is why I am working my full time job and doing law school part time.
Haus how is that going for you?

I've just decided to finally pull the trigger on applying, 10 years after deciding to wait a bit. I have a good job with the gov that I don't want to give up but want to go to law school and am trying to get admitted to a part time program in DC.

On that note, hello to the others that are applying for fall 2018. I just turned 34 and am just getting situated with everything. Plan on taking the June LSAT. Starting prep on my own with the LSAT bibles and also doing a prep class at the end of march. Much more motivated and determined to put in the effort now. Scored a 158 10 years ago and my pre-test was a 155 a couple weeks ago when I started thinking about this again. As I said earlier, I plan on going the part time route because I have a good job with the gov that I really can't give up.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by haus » Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:51 pm

vtdelt wrote:
haus wrote:
KPUSN07 wrote:How are folks able to maintain a family (wife and child), financially, and attend law school full time?
No idea. This is why I am working my full time job and doing law school part time.
Haus how is that going for you?

I've just decided to finally pull the trigger on applying, 10 years after deciding to wait a bit. I have a good job with the gov that I don't want to give up but want to go to law school and am trying to get admitted to a part time program in DC.
You got me on a bit of a rough time. Work has been ragged for about a year as a new CIO was selected about a year ago and he has gone on a tear (firing a well-liked CISO, taking on expensive poorly thought out projects without any consideration of the security implications, opting to lie to congress, and then when called out for doing so blaming others for his actions). I have come close to taking other jobs, but, so far I have opted not to do so. In part, this is because I do work with very good people (that is when the CIO is taken out of the picture), and from a practical point of view, starting a new job is tough and dealing with this while dealing with law school is less than ideal.

From a family view, unexpected events are bound to occur. Last year, my wife became ill at a time that things both in school and work were rather busy. Shockingly, I had a professor who tried to be a hard ass over a stupid assignment. Ended up being heavily penalized (I think I got a C in that course). I came close to transferring because of how I was treated. But in the end, I opted to stick with the program that I am in because of some characteristics of the program are useful to me.

In large part, I am glad that I am going to school part-time. My objectives are likely different that others, so take this with a grain of salt.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by KPUSN07 » Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:44 pm

The other thing is healthcare while attending full time - I think the school covers the student (with 9/11 GI Bill), but how / what ideas are there for families?

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by Experiment626 » Sun Feb 19, 2017 1:15 pm

KPUSN07 wrote:The other thing is healthcare while attending full time - I think the school covers the student (with 9/11 GI Bill), but how / what ideas are there for families?
If your spouse can get it through their employer that's an option. Traditionally it would have to be through open enrollment unless they're currently covered under something you have. If that's the case then it's a qualifying life event for moving the family to your spouse's plan options.

If you're currently covered through an employer, COBRA but that's kinda expensive because you take on the full cost. If your spouse has an employer option I would say go through them because the employer usually helps pay for some the total plan cost

Maybe the healthcare exchanges, again qualifying life event for loss of coverage and if your spouse doesn't have a healthcare option.

Private insurance, you can get individual plans on your own and even through Costco.

This is just a quick list, I might be able to think of more but dashing off to an appointment. If I think of anything else I'll add when I get back

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by cavalier1138 » Sun Feb 19, 2017 3:08 pm

KPUSN07 wrote:The other thing is healthcare while attending full time - I think the school covers the student (with 9/11 GI Bill), but how / what ideas are there for families?
My school's insurance options include adding a spouse and dependents, so that's potentially an option.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by BVest » Sun Feb 19, 2017 6:32 pm

cavalier1138 wrote:
KPUSN07 wrote:The other thing is healthcare while attending full time - I think the school covers the student (with 9/11 GI Bill), but how / what ideas are there for families?
My school's insurance options include adding a spouse and dependents, so that's potentially an option.
Not only was this the way we went, but it was by far the best deal out there.
Last edited by BVest on Sat Jan 27, 2018 2:34 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by KPUSN07 » Sun Feb 19, 2017 10:13 pm

cavalier1138 wrote:
KPUSN07 wrote:The other thing is healthcare while attending full time - I think the school covers the student (with 9/11 GI Bill), but how / what ideas are there for families?
My school's insurance options include adding a spouse and dependents, so that's potentially an option.
This is EXCELLENT to hear.... Very glad to hear this.... What school if I may ask?

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by cavalier1138 » Sun Feb 19, 2017 10:24 pm

KPUSN07 wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote:
KPUSN07 wrote:The other thing is healthcare while attending full time - I think the school covers the student (with 9/11 GI Bill), but how / what ideas are there for families?
My school's insurance options include adding a spouse and dependents, so that's potentially an option.
This is EXCELLENT to hear.... Very glad to hear this.... What school if I may ask?
NYU.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by Mjvance2 » Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:54 am

My wife and I live in Houston, and I plan to attend UT in Austin. (2.5 hours away). She's thinking of staying in Houston, at least for my 1L year, and then moving to Austin for the rest of my time there.

Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by elterrible78 » Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:13 pm

Mjvance2 wrote:My wife and I live in Houston, and I plan to attend UT in Austin. (2.5 hours away). She's thinking of staying in Houston, at least for my 1L year, and then moving to Austin for the rest of my time there.

Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
I went to school in Chicago, and my wife lived in Miami the entire time. I think that, especially during 1L, that worked out really well. In some ways, it seemed harder for the people who had their SOs living with them. It's easier to be neglected when you're not occupying the same physical space, I think.

If you're only 2.5 hours away, that should allow for easy enough visits when you have the opportunity. If you guys feel like this is the right move, I think there's at least plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests it can be done pretty happily. Feel free to PM me on any of this, if you think it may be helpful.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by dannyswo » Tue Mar 21, 2017 1:40 pm

Mjvance2 wrote:My wife and I live in Houston, and I plan to attend UT in Austin. (2.5 hours away). She's thinking of staying in Houston, at least for my 1L year, and then moving to Austin for the rest of my time there.

Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
So this is pretty common in my field. A lot of people I work with do a M-F in one city and travel back for weekends. I can't live like that, but a lot of people do, usually easier if you know it's for a set period of time.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by ponderingmeerkat » Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:43 pm

Mjvance2 wrote: Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
Yup. My wife and I had good (not great) gov't jobs that had limited upside left to them. So, in our late-20s, we sat down, mapped out our 5-10 year plan, and both decided to do the law school thing.

So, she went first while I supported her. She ended up getting Big Law out of the T14 and moving to Atlanta. I'm going to the same T14 this fall, while she supports me. So, we will be doing the long-distance thing for a few more years (burning up those Delta SkyMiles back and forth to ATL) but the plan is coming together nicely. I'll gun hard for a 1L and 2L SA positions in Atlanta and maybe an "externship for credit" during a 3LOL semester. Who knows.

Point being, you can make anything work if both partners are all-in and everyone's expectations are well-communicated while building "the plan". Good luck! 8)

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by elterrible78 » Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:00 pm

ponderingmeerkat wrote:
Mjvance2 wrote: Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
Yup. My wife and I had good (not great) gov't jobs that had limited upside left to them. So, in our late-20s, we sat down, mapped out our 5-10 year plan, and both decided to do the law school thing.

So, she went first while I supported her. She ended up getting Big Law out of the T14 and moving to Atlanta. I'm going to the same T14 this fall, while she supports me. So, we will be doing the long-distance thing for a few more years (burning up those Delta SkyMiles back and forth to ATL) but the plan is coming together nicely. I'll gun hard for a 1L and 2L SA positions in Atlanta and maybe an "externship for credit" during a 3LOL semester. Who knows.

Point being, you can make anything work if both partners are all-in and everyone's expectations are well-communicated while building "the plan". Good luck! 8)
The bolded is the kind of creative thinking that helps make it work. During my 3L, I moved out of my apartment into a rented room in a pretty sketchy part of south Chicago, set up my schedule to have class only on Thursdays and Fridays, and with the money I saved on rent flew back home for a five day weekend every week. Where there's a will, there's a way.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by Mjvance2 » Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:17 pm

elterrible78 wrote:
ponderingmeerkat wrote:
Mjvance2 wrote: Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
Yup. My wife and I had good (not great) gov't jobs that had limited upside left to them. So, in our late-20s, we sat down, mapped out our 5-10 year plan, and both decided to do the law school thing.

So, she went first while I supported her. She ended up getting Big Law out of the T14 and moving to Atlanta. I'm going to the same T14 this fall, while she supports me. So, we will be doing the long-distance thing for a few more years (burning up those Delta SkyMiles back and forth to ATL) but the plan is coming together nicely. I'll gun hard for a 1L and 2L SA positions in Atlanta and maybe an "externship for credit" during a 3LOL semester. Who knows.

Point being, you can make anything work if both partners are all-in and everyone's expectations are well-communicated while building "the plan". Good luck! 8)
The bolded is the kind of creative thinking that helps make it work. During my 3L, I moved out of my apartment into a rented room in a pretty sketchy part of south Chicago, set up my schedule to have class only on Thursdays and Fridays, and with the money I saved on rent flew back home for a five day weekend every week. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Are you, or those that you know who are in similar situations, shooting for Big Law? I ask because while I'm not Big Law or bust, I would like to work for a firm for a few years and then maybe move somewhere in house. I settled on UT because it has decent Big Law prospects relative to the debt I may have to incur. I was also accepted to UVA, but since I didn't get a scholly there I just didn't feel it was worth it to pay sticker tuition for the increased Big Law prospects when that wasn't my long-term goal. I'm not overthinking things am I?

How concerned about debt are/were you when selecting a law school?

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by ponderingmeerkat » Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:47 pm

Mjvance2 wrote:
elterrible78 wrote:
ponderingmeerkat wrote:
Mjvance2 wrote: Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
Yup. My wife and I had good (not great) gov't jobs that had limited upside left to them. So, in our late-20s, we sat down, mapped out our 5-10 year plan, and both decided to do the law school thing.

So, she went first while I supported her. She ended up getting Big Law out of the T14 and moving to Atlanta. I'm going to the same T14 this fall, while she supports me. So, we will be doing the long-distance thing for a few more years (burning up those Delta SkyMiles back and forth to ATL) but the plan is coming together nicely. I'll gun hard for a 1L and 2L SA positions in Atlanta and maybe an "externship for credit" during a 3LOL semester. Who knows.

Point being, you can make anything work if both partners are all-in and everyone's expectations are well-communicated while building "the plan". Good luck! 8)
The bolded is the kind of creative thinking that helps make it work. During my 3L, I moved out of my apartment into a rented room in a pretty sketchy part of south Chicago, set up my schedule to have class only on Thursdays and Fridays, and with the money I saved on rent flew back home for a five day weekend every week. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Are you, or those that you know who are in similar situations, shooting for Big Law? I ask because while I'm not Big Law or bust, I would like to work for a firm for a few years and then maybe move somewhere in house. I settled on UT because it has decent Big Law prospects relative to the debt I may have to incur. I was also accepted to UVA, but since I didn't get a scholly there I just didn't feel it was worth it to pay sticker tuition for the increased Big Law prospects when that wasn't my long-term goal. I'm not overthinking things am I?

How concerned about debt are/were you when selecting a law school?
Yes, I'm shooting for biglaw or bust. The thought process being that, even though both my wife and I will be graduating debt free from law school, the opportunity cost associated with missing out on three years worth of earnings in my mid-thirties drives me to biglaw to make up that lost potential. (Time value of money goes hard.) And, fwiw, the half dozen or so personal friends I know who went to law school later in life are all doing biglaw right now and for similar reasons.

As for your school choices, I think UT sounds like the right answer. I wouldn't layer $300K in loans on top of the $225K-$300K in opportunity cost you're giving up by not earning for the next three years. A half-million dollars in differential earnings is crippling--especially when you factor in compounding interest. If you can go to UT for almost free, I'd take that over sticker at UVA any day.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by ookoshi » Thu Mar 30, 2017 4:03 pm

ponderingmeerkat wrote:Yes, I'm shooting for biglaw or bust. The thought process being that, even though both my wife and I will be graduating debt free from law school, the opportunity cost associated with missing out on three years worth of earnings in my mid-thirties drives me to biglaw to make up that lost potential. (Time value of money goes hard.) And, fwiw, the half dozen or so personal friends I know who went to law school later in life are all doing biglaw right now and for similar reasons.

As for your school choices, I think UT sounds like the right answer. I wouldn't layer $300K in loans on top of the $225K-$300K in opportunity cost you're giving up by not earning for the next three years. A half-million dollars in differential earnings is crippling--especially when you factor in compounding interest. If you can go to UT for almost free, I'd take that over sticker at UVA any day.
I agree. Financially speaking, UT is the right answer. The math might be different if it were between a full ride at a T2 school with <10% biglaw placement vs. UT or UVA at sticker, but that's not the case here. There's a difference between UVA vs UT, but there's not enough of one to justify $$$ vs sticker. Both are full-time schools, so I don't think your opportunity cost of 3 years salary really matters when comparing the two programs, except for considering whether to go to a full-time law school at all.

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Re: OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT)

Post by DJDJTX » Thu Mar 30, 2017 4:15 pm

Mjvance2 wrote:My wife and I live in Houston, and I plan to attend UT in Austin. (2.5 hours away). She's thinking of staying in Houston, at least for my 1L year, and then moving to Austin for the rest of my time there.

Are there any of you who are married and have families living in a different city?
I'm 40, w/small kids. I live in Austin, can't move. I couldn't go to UT (even if I got in) because they only have a F/T program. 2M people in the greater Austin metro area and we have one law school option. I have to wait for an out of state hybrid JD program that makes sense or a weekend program in state to pop up. I'm prepared to fly (or drive) in and out of DFW or Houston if necessary but odds are not good for me. I'm pretty disappointed.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


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